The Canons of Dort : A Teacher`s Manual

THE CANONS OF
DORT
TEACHER’S MANUAL
J. Parnell McCarter
FIRST EDITION
©2005 J. Parnell McCarter. All Rights Reserved.
6408 Wrenwood
Jenison, MI 49428
(616) 457-8095
The Puritans’ Home School Curriculum
www.puritans.net
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THE CANONS OF DORT
COURSE INSTRUCTIONS
Purpose
This course provides a study of the Canons of Dort using Cornelis P. Venema’s book But
for the Grace of God: An Exposition of the Canons of Dort. The book is available from
Reformed Fellowship, Inc. (see http://www.reformedfellowship.net/study_materials.htm )
Course Check-Off List
Students should record when they have completed the work associated with each chapter
in the book But for the Grace of God: An Exposition of the Canons of Dort. The teacher
will then grade the work and record the grade on the check list.
Chapter Work
Each chapter in the book But for the Grace of God: An Exposition of the Canons of Dort
comes with questions at the end of the chapter. These questions should be answered as
part of the chapter work.
Grading
The average grade of the work associated with each chapter should be calculated in order
to determine the overall grade for the course.
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THE CANONS OF DORT
COURSE CHECK-OFF LIST
Student Name: ___________________________________________________________
Teacher Name: ___________________________________________________________
Chapter #
CHAPTER WORK
COMPLETED (X)
EXERCISE SCORE
(ON 100-POINT SCALE)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Total of Scores on 9 Chapters
Average Chapter Score (Total of Scores/9)
Overall Grade in Course (Letter Grade Equivalent of the Average Test Score): ____
Note: Grading in this course should be done on a 100-point scale, with letter grades
assigned as follows:
Letter Grade
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F
Score on 100-Point Scale
97 - 100
94 - 96
90 – 93
87 - 89
84 - 86
80 - 83
77 - 79
74 - 76
70 - 73
60 - 69
0 - 59
In order to determine how many points each question in a chapter assignment is worth,
divide 100 by the number of questions in the assignment. For example, if there are 10
questions in an assignment, then each question is worth 10 points (= 100 / 10). So if a
student got 9 out of the 10 questions right, then his test score is 90 (= 9 x 10). His letter
grade, according to the table above, would then be an A-.
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THE CANONS OF DORT
TEACHER INSTRUCTION NOTES FOR CLASSES
This course in the study of the Canons of Dort will consist of 10 classes, with the content
of each class outlined below:
Class 1
The textbook we shall be using for this course on the Canons of Dort is written by a
theologian in the Christian Reformed Church, one of a number of Dutch Reformed
denominations to come out of the state Dutch church which originally adopted the
Canons of Dort. He is a theologian very competent and knowledgeable in the Canons of
Dort, and overall has provided a very nice study guide to the Canons of Dort. But this
theologian, Cornelis Venema, has been deceived by a number of errors to plague the
modern reformed community. Let me read the preface to the book, and see if you can
identify these errors, as well as identify areas where he is doctrinally correct.
Read the Preface.
What are the errors?
Some of these errors include:
Ø error of modern textual criticism, which rejects the Traditional Text, and
contradicts the Biblical principle that God has preserved His infallible word
through the generations
Ø error of uninspired hymns. (Historically the CRC held to exclusive psalmody in
public worship, but in the 1930s strayed from this position.)
What are some areas where he is doctrinally correct, based upon your reading of the
Preface?
So we can appreciate this book he has written on the Canons of Dort, but we must read it
with discernment, for Cornelis Venema, though agreeing with many of the Biblical
doctrines summarized in the Westminster Standards, disagrees with some as well. It is
important to learn to discern what one reads and hears.
Throughout this course, as homework students will be required to read chapters from the
book, and often as well read sections from the Canons of Dort in the Appendix of But for
the Grace of God: An Exposition of the Canons of Dort. At the end of each chapter are
chapter questions, which students will be required to answer.
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Chapter 1 of his book, which you should read before the next class, has a good historical
introduction to the Canons of Dort. It is important to understanding the historical setting
in which it was written, as well as its contents themselves. By understanding the
historical setting in which they were written, you will better understand their content.
So before the next class, read chapter 1 of But for the Grace of God: An Exposition of the
Canons of Dort, and answer the questions at the end of the chapter. In the next class we
shall review chapter 1 together, and go over your answers to the chapter questions. You
will be graded on your answers.
Class 2
***THE REMAINDER OF THIS SECTION WILL BE COMPLETED IN THE 2ND
EDITION OF THE TEACHER’S MANUAL, WHICH SHOULD BE OUT BY THE
END OF 2005***
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THE CANONS OF DORT
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FOR EACH CHAPTER
***THE REMAINDER OF THIS SECTION WILL BE COMPLETED IN THE 2ND
EDITION OF THE TEACHER’S MANUAL, WHICH SHOULD BE OUT BY THE
END OF 2005***
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
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